Food retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers have until Dec. 31 to register their distribution centers and manufacturing plants with the Food and Drug Administration in accordance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The registration process opened for business on starting Monday, October 22nd.

Those companies have had to register their DCs and manufacturing sites with the FDA since the Bioterrorism Act was passed in 2002, but under the FSMA, signed into law last year, they have to update registration every two years, between October and December of even-number years (2012 being the first).

In general, all domestic and foreign facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food, feed or supplements for human or animal consumption in the U.S. are required to register with the FDA. There is no fee to register or renew the registration.

The FDA announced this month that it has added new categories of foods that must be reported to the FDA in registrations, if applicable. For a complete list, see http://1.usa.gov/QEPB7O.

FDA said it believes that it is necessary for a food facility to submit to FDA a registration containing “the general food category” being handled and “any other food categories” in order to bring about “a quick, accurate, and focused response to a food-safety related issue or incident, an actual or potential bioterrorist incident, or other food-related emergency.”